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What to Watch for on Big Wind Day

by
BROOKE GOLD HASSON
| Apr 12, 2014

Talking About Wind Risks for Florida Home Owners

It’s Big Wind Day!

Not familiar with today’s holiday? Let’s take a look at the history behind Big Wind Day and talk about what you can do to understand the wind dangers here in Florida.

On April 12, 1934, the staff of the Mount Washington Observatory in New Hampshire recorded the highest surface wind ever measured anywhere on Earth. The “World Record Wind” was officially recorded at 231 miles per hour. The wind was gauged at a station atop the mountain that was under a severe ice storm, and the team had to take enough measurements to confirm the speed plus make sure that the outside equipment was clear of ice and debris during measurements.

It was a monumental task to be sure.

Hurricane Season and Your Home Risks

Thankfully, our Florida winds don’t pick up so severe. However, we do get a lot of high winds that you should be aware of and learn to guard against. Hurricanes and tornadoes are both significant dangers, but their severity for Florida is astounding when looking back over the years.

Some of Florida’s surprising hurricane season facts include:

Monroe County was hit by more hurricanes than any other U.S. county from 1960 to 2008, with 15 causing damage.

75.7% of Florida residents live in coastal counties and all are at risk for hurricanes and hurricane-related flooding.

Last year, 1,478,858 Florida homes are at risk of damage from hurricanes and hurricane storm surge damage.

Florida homes with hurricane-related insurance coverage are worth an estimated $3.64 trillion. On just the coastline itself, homes are worth $2.86 trillion.

Tornadoes Put Florida Homeowners at Risk

Tornadoes also represent a considerable danger in Florida, even though Hurricane season gets much of the attention in the news. To put the Tornado risk in proper perspective, consider these facts about Florida’s risk:

Florida is one of the most tornado prone states. It averages 66 tornadoes each year.

In 2013, Florida was ranked No. 10 for most tornadoes in a state, with 37 occurring. Thankfully, no deaths were attributed to these tornadoes.

Tornadoes account for 10% of hurricane season-related deaths in Florida.

Florida tornadoes have occurred as late as three days after a hurricane landfall; they can form as far as 150 miles way from the center of a hurricane.

Gulf of Mexico hurricanes produce more tornadoes than Atlantic storms.

For the entire United States in 2013, there were 29 catastrophes involving thunderstorms, which frequently include tornadoes. These catastrophes caused $12.87 billion in insured losses.

Wind and Your Florida Homeowner’s Insurance

People’s Trust wants you to stay safe in the event of any wind-related emergencies. Your best course of action is to create an emergency preparedness kit and then listen to all government warnings and announcements.

If you’re ever told to evacuate, do it. We can help you recover and repair property after a catastrophe. You and your family are the most important, and should be brought to safety before anything else.

If you’re already a People’s Trust customer, return to your home once any evacuation order is lifted and assess your property. If you notice any wind or roof damage, call us anytime day or night at 1-888-511-7716 or use this Web page to make a report.

If you’re considering becoming part of the People’s Trust family, you can reach us at 1-888-524-6003 to learn more about the protections we offer related to wind and other Florida hazards. Need a little help making up your mind? Click here to see what our customers have to say about the quality of service we provide.

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